Borders Backyard Biodiversity

Quality Control

Although records of any scarcer species have been checked wherever possible (usually by phoning the respondent), several of the surveyors were inexperienced, and it is possible that some errors have been made in identification. Where a record is unlikely, but we have not been in a position to verify this on site, this information has been added to the comments field.

Method steps

1. All data were recorded as field observations on a survey form. Recorders were asked to indicate the frequency of sightings within the time period against each species on the check list. A short identification guide was supplied with the survey form. Data have subsequently been digitised by SBBRC using Recorder software.

Most sites (and records) are from within the Scottish Borders Unitary Authority boundary, though some lie in Northumberland. The data contained within this set are taken from a total of over 130 sites from right around the Scottish Borders (and one or two from neighbouring districts). Not surprisingly, there are more records from the major settlements, and the more heavily populated Central Borders corridor along the Tweed. Records mostly relate to central grid references of the house or locality.